Reported speech

Reporting statements, questions and requests: tense changes, word order and time words (news and media)

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1. 1
   Multiple choice

   'I saw the accident,' the witness said. → The witness said he the accident.

   has seenhad seenseeswas seeingThe past simple usually moves back to the past perfect in reported speech.
2. 2
   Multiple choice

   The journalist asked the minister he would resign.

   thatwhatwhetherdoesReported yes/no questions use 'if' or 'whether'.
3. 3
   Multiple choice

   'Don't publish the story,' the editor said. → The editor told us the story.

   not to publishdon't publishnot publishthat not publishReported orders use 'tell someone (not) to' + infinitive.
4. 4
   Multiple choice

   Which sentence is correct?

   She said me that the news was fake.She told that the news was fake.She said to me the news that was fake.She told me that the news was fake.'Tell' needs a person as its object, but 'say' does not.
5. 5
   Fill the gap

   'Where do you live?' → The reporter asked me where I .

   did I liveliveddo I livelivingReported questions use normal word order, not question order.
6. 6
   Fill the gap

   'We will announce the results tomorrow,' they said. → They said they announce them the next day.

   Answer: would'Will' changes to 'would' in reported speech.
7. 7
   Fill the gap

   The newspaper reported that the prime minister (visit) Paris the day before.

   Answer: had visitedAlso accepted: visitedAn earlier past action is usually reported with the past perfect.
8. 8
   Fill the gap

   'Can you check the facts?' → My boss asked me check the facts.

   Answer: toReported requests use 'ask someone to' + infinitive.
9. 9
   Fill the gap

   'I bought the newspaper yesterday,' she said. → She said she had bought it the day.

   nextpreviouslastfollowing'Yesterday' often becomes 'the previous day' or 'the day before' in reported speech.
10. 10
    True / false

    This sentence is correct: 'He asked me where was the station.'

    Answer: FalseReported questions keep statement word order: 'where the station was'.
11. 11
    Discussion question

    Tell me about a news story you read or heard recently. What did the reporters say?

    Sample answer: I read that a new metro line was going to open next year. The reporter said the city had spent millions on it and asked people whether they would use it.
12. 12
    Discussion question

    Do you trust what you read on social media? Why or why not?

    Sample answer: Not really. A friend once told me a famous singer had died, but it wasn't true. Now I always check the news on a reliable website.